These Olympic mascots and 'ambassadors of friendship' are uniquitous in Beijing, but relatively unknown in America. Aren't they freaking adorable? Together their names say 'Beijing Huanying Ni,' or 'Beijing Welcomes You.' D'awww. Wikipedia describes them better than me, but if you're too lazy, here's my paraphrased version:
BeiBei: Based on a fish, she represents prosperity and the blue ring. She is 'gentle and pure.' Reps the water sports.
JingJing: He is a panda who represents nature, happiness, and the black ring. He is cheerful and optimistic. Sports of strength like weight-lifting and judo.
HuanHuan: The Olympic flame, he represents the warmth of the Chinese people and the passion of the games, as well as the red ring. He is described as 'outgoing and enthusiastic'. Ball sports.
YingYing: Based on a Tibetan Antelope, he reps China's western hinterlands, health, and environmentalism. He is quick-witted and agile. Track and field.
NiNi: Based on a swallow, she represents good luck, the green ring, and gymnastics. She is 'joyful and kind.'
Beijing's campaign to get China hyped up for the Olympics borders on being creepy. Yao Ming and cutie Liu Xiang's faces are plastered everywhere and music videos with Jackie Chan and opening ceremony footage play on loop in subways and buses. The Fuwa even had their own 100-episode cartoon series to teach kids about the games and count down the days until the Olympics. Personally, the Fuwa are a piece of propaganda I'm quite willing to play along with--I'm so going to buy myself a big HuanHuan plushie after drooling over them for three weeks. My boy Huan^2 is my favorite, although YingYing is growing on me, too. Word has it JingJing is by far the most popular among Western tourists--everybody loves a panda!
In other news, last night I attended an erhu, pipa, and flute concert at a charming little bookstore/teahouse. Afterwards I declined to go jiuba-hopping in order to nurse my throat, which has been bothering me. Today I felt well enough to go shopping, and I ended up spending the entire day walking miles in loops up, down, and around Xidan. Damn, you've never seen crowded until you've seen a Xidan mall on a Saturday afternoon.
Since I'm a big fan of both low prices and ridiculous Chinglish, I like shopping in China. However, I really hate haggling and dealing with the vendors. Even in the Western-style mall shops, the employees follow you around asking if you like this, want to try that, want to buy this. In the crowded, sketchy flea-market style clothing bazaars it's even worse. I like to hem and haw over my clothing, and I have a lot of trouble deciding if I want to buy a shirt when the vendor won't let me try it on and keeps barking in my ear. "No thanks, just looking," doesn't go over well. When I ask their prices, I know they're ripping me off, but I really hate arguing them down. The workers always look so crestfallen, like I'm taking jiaozi off their child's plate by lowering the price ten kuai.
Out of context, the venders crying out, "Hello friend, come look at what I've got, very pretty!" is kind of creepy. In context, being addressed in English as 'Hello friend!' is pretty hysterical. Also, "Look-yi-look!" makes sense in Chinglish grammar but sounds so silly.
In conclusion, what the FUCK is with the Chinese obsession with Mickey Mouse?!
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